Colombia: Bus full of explosives found, intended to target president-elect

Authorities in Colombia located a booby-trapped bus in Cali, suspected of being intended to target president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella ahead of his inauguration. There were no passengers on the bus, and it was detonated in a controlled manner. De la Espriella won in June and is expected to change Colombia's stance toward Israel, including opening an embassy in Jerusalem. Israel and Colombia will renew relations after his inauguration on August 7.

Colombian authorities announced last night (Thursday) the discovery of a bus full of explosives in Cali, suspected of being intended to target president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, who is to be sworn in tomorrow in the city. Security forces emphasized that there were no passengers on the bus, and it was ultimately detonated in a controlled manner. De la Espriella won the presidential elections last June and is expected to change Colombia's stance toward Israel. Last month, he announced his intention to open a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem. Following his election, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced the renewal of diplomatic relations with Colombia, after two years of severance. Sa'ar met in Washington with Colombia's incoming foreign minister, Omar Bula Escobar, and the two agreed to restore relations after the president's inauguration on August 7. Relations were severed in May 2024 by former president Gustavo Petro, and the Israeli ambassador was recalled a month later, while Colombia's ambassador left in June two years ago.